Vael's POV
My wrist alarm beeped softly as I walked through the quiet maintenance corridor on Deck 7. Another normal night check. Nothing ever happened on the Stellar Dominion. Or at least that's what I kept telling myself.
The luxury interstellar cruise ship was calm at this hour. Most passengers were asleep in their fancy rooms, and only a few crew members were on night duty. It was the perfect time to check the lower decks for stowaways or problems.
My boots made almost no sound on the metal floor. The artificial gravity hummed under my feet. I took a deep breath. The air smelled clean and cold, just the way I liked it.
Until it didn't.
A sweet scent suddenly hit me. My heart jumped. My body tensed.
Omega.
It was weak, like someone was trying to hide it, but the smell still slipped through and went straight to my head. My jaw tightened.
I stopped walking and dropped my hand to the stun baton on my belt.
"Show yourself," I said, my voice low and firm.
Silence.
Then I heard a small sound like someone moving behind a stack of emergency supply crates. I moved fast and quietly, years of zero-gravity training helping me stay silent. In one quick move, I pulled the top crate away.
There he was.
A young guy crouched low on the floor. His silver-white hair was messy and fell into wide violet eyes. A torn black jacket hung off one shoulder. He looked about twenty-two or twenty-three, slim and delicate exactly what an Omega looked like.
His breath caught when our eyes met. I saw defiance on his flushed face, but also fear… and something else that made my rut start to wake up.
"Captain Vael Korren," I said, my voice dropping into a growl. "You're on my ship without permission, little stowaway."
He quickly moved back until he hit the wall. There was nowhere to run.
"I'm not hurting anyone," he said, trying to sound brave. "I'm just passing through. I'll leave before anyone notices."
Another wave of his sweet scent washed over me. It was warmer now, with a hint of slick. My body reacted instantly. My cock grew hard in my pants. He was going into heat soon.
I stepped closer, towering over him. My Alpha side wanted to pin him right there and taste him.
I grabbed his chin gently but firmly and made him look up at me.
"You smell like trouble," I murmured, brushing my thumb over his lower lip. His skin felt hot. "Your suppressants are failing, aren't they?"
His breath shook. A tiny whimper slipped out. That sound made my knot throb with need.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied. But his pupils were getting bigger, and his body was leaning toward my touch even while he tried to fight it.
I leaned in close until my lips were near his ear.
"Liar," I whispered. "I can already smell how wet you're getting for me. Tell me your name, Omega… before I find out exactly how much you need an Alpha's knot."
He shivered hard. More of his sweet scent filled the air. His voice came out small and shaky.
"…Lirien."
I smiled slowly, feeling dark satisfaction in my chest. I tightened my grip on his chin just enough to show him who was in control now.
"Welcome aboard, Lirien," I said. "You're mine now."